Saddle Cleaning and Care Instructions

Leather Cleaning: * Allow saddle to dry slowly and naturally after use. * Brush excess dirt and perspiration salts from leather with a soft brush. * Dampen leather with a wetsoft sponge till it darkens uniformly. Use the least amount of water that will do the job. * With a soft firm brush, clear bar glycerin soap and water, work up a uniform lather with a circular motion or use Bick 1 leather cleaner. When you have removed the dirt and perspiration rinse your saddle with lukewarm water. * Allow the saddle to dry slowly and naturally, preferably in the shade with a fan for ventilation.* After the saddle has dried (when leather no longer feels cold to the cheek) condition the leather using oil, Leather Max or Bick 4 leather conditioner. If your leather is very dry from water or excessive sweat, use extra oil or Leather Max. Leather Max work well, but moderately darken leather. Pure neatsfoot oil darkens leather quickly. Lexol NF will do a good job without darkening the leather too much or use Bick 4, which will not darken the leather at all. Choose which ever of the many food oils works best for your saddle. Olive oil, corn oil, and Peanut oil also works well, but darkens leather.

Leather Care: * Keep your saddle clean and covered and avoid dust * Store in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight * Use a saddle stand or a rope suspended from the swell of the saddle above the ground. * Do not lay your saddle on the ground; leather absorbs moisture and this position will deform the saddle’s shape. * Do not store near manure. Manure fumes contain ammonia that hardens and rots leather. * Clean saddle every three months or after heavy use.* Use common sense. Leather is the skin of an animal converted to a stable state. Treat leather as you would your own skin. * Do not use iron or steel next to leather. The rusting action of iron rots leather. * Do not over-oil or over clean the leather, too-much oil weakens its fibers. * Saddle soap or a glycerin bar can remove small amounts of dye from in the leather; clean with these methods only when the saddle is heavily soiled.

How do I care for my neoprene tack such as girths? Wash all the manure and debris off. Then spray with a Silicone spray, found in any automotive department store.

How do I care for my Delrin Panels? Depending on the amount of time you ride, the inserts/panels should be oiled often. The mountings that hold the panels on your saddle are of steel or hardened steel. In both cases you need to keep them rust free so use WD-40 as a solvent very sparingly and only for this purpose. You will need to oil your mounts and washers (that slide and work against Delron - the white plastic looking material). This (3 in One Household oil) can be purchased at any warehouse, supermarket or automotive store etc. It comes in a small plastic or metal bottle with a thin straw like tube for easy access to the mounts and inserts. Oil all 4 mounts and try to aim downward toward the panels. Put some drops of OIL (3 in one Household oil) directly on the Delrin-panel (the white plastic). After oiling, move the panel to distribute the oil under the washer/rear mount to distribute the oil under the washers. This will keep the inserts and panels lubricated to let the panels move freely.

Bick-1 Leather Cleaner: Bick-1 is a balanced formula that was created to thoroughly clean the dirtiest leather items both safely and effectively. It is pH-balanced blend of non-alkaline cleaning agents that aggressively cleans smooth finished leather safely and effectively. It removes soil, grease, spur marks and most food and ink stains. Its foaming action lifts out embedded dirt and stains. Because it contains no wax, oils, or additives to interfere with its cleaning ability, dirt will not become trapped in the leather. 8 oz. Item # SC-BICK-1 - Price $6.50

Bick-4 Leather Conditioner: Bick-4 unique formula cleans, conditions, polishes and acts a water repellent, making it ideal for keeping leather soft and supple while preventing the leather from drying and cracking. It is safe to use on leather boots, shoes, bags, purses, jackets, saddles, belts and smooth finish or exotic leather products including reptile. It is wax-free, does not contain silicone and will not seal the pores of the leather. Bickmore guarantees Bick-4 will not darken any colorfast leather, as the formula is free of animal fats and caustic chemicals. This conditioner is the product of choice for damp, moist or moldy leather, as well as leather that is in good condition. 16 oz. Item # SC-BICK-4 - Price $11.50

Bick-Boot Guard: Boot-Guard is a fluorinated polymer that will protect and safeguard all leather, suede, roughout and nubuck boots making them water repellent and stain resistant. It provides an invisible barrier against water as well as against tough stains such as manure, wine, beer, and grease. It also minimizes damage from barnyard acids. Since Boot-Guard is a non-silicone-based protector, it allows the boots to breathe. Works great for felt hats too! 5.5 oz. Item # SC-BICK-GARD - Price $4.90

Weaver Leather Wipes: Make saddle and tack cleaning as easy as 1-2-3. This 3-step process of cleaning your tack is as easy as opening up the container and pulling a presoaked cleaning, conditioning or shine wipe out and rubbing down your tack. The cleaner wipe, is the "Bick 1" cleaner. This wax-fee formula will remove soil, grease, food and ink stains from all types of smooth, finished leather. The conditioning wipe is the "Bick 4" conditioner. This formula is wax-and-silicone-free and does not contain chemicals or animal fats that may cause the leather to deteriorate or change color. Ideal for all smooth leathers, exotic leathers, including ostrich, eel, python and other snake skins. The Shine wipe will give that lustrous glow and beautiful shine to smooth finished leather. Ideal for tack, saddles, boots, purses and other leather products. The wipe container fits snugly in the palm of your hand or back pocket and features a handy pop top and holds 20 wipes. Purchase one of each.

Item # SC-WIPES - Set of 3 - Price $20.00   (Individually price is $7.00 each)